Electric Music Stars Revelling in the Prestige of Las Vegas
Electric music has expanded a great deal over the last decade, now encompassing a wide range of sub-genres, from the almost-pop big room fillers to more dark and somber acts like Spain’s Mondträume. Still, it’s the hit-makers that land themselves the now-prestigious deal that is the Las Vegas residency.
However, the Vegas residency wasn’t always so vaunted, nor was it always so accepting of electric artists and DJs. It wasn’t that long ago that those who would set the stage for an extended series of shows in Vegas were considered to be on their last legs, unable to sell out stadiums around the world anymore.
That’s all changed now, though, with enormous sums of money being thrown around in the way that you’d usually associate with the Vegas style. So, the biggest acts in the world come to stay, drawing fans to casinos and hotels while stacking up hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Sin City continues to enforce its glitz and glamour
Las Vegas has always had an innate ability to attract some of the biggest names in entertainment and the wealthiest bettors in the world. Its self-promotion is unmatched, and casinos are more than happy to waive some fees or put up special offers to those who would raise the prestige of the venue. Boxing is still a big way for Sin City to raise its own prestige, but more commonly now, it’s about the money and live acts.
Even though the casinos play the same as anywhere else in the world, the experience is different, there aren’t any clocks or windows, and people have it set in their mind that Sin City is where you come to win big. It’s why the city is synonymous with high-stakes gaming, and why even when you play jackpot games online, it’s the ever-growing Vegas Millions jackpot that immediately catches the eye.
This is also why there are so many associated games to the Vegas Millions jackpot – Vegas Millions Prize Lines, Genie Jackpots, King Kong Cash Vegas Millions. It’s all a result of the iconic status of the city. To keep this view of Vegas alive for tourists and residents alike, casinos have poured money into their entertainment options, with music artists being the prime targets.
The turning point came in 2003 when Celine Dion transformed the Vegas residency from live singing into an all-encompassing performance piece that accentuated the excessive persona of Sin City. It was a huge success, paving the way for more big-name musicians to make serious money on The Strip. Dion herself became “the Queen of Las Vegas” for her record-obliterating residencies, so now, the likes of Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, and Bruno Mars are more than happy to buy into the practice.
DJs now the most sought-after music acts
For Las Vegas, what proved to be a turning point for the entertainment sector also proved to be somewhat of a curse. Celine Dion put Sin City on the map for the massive production value of her performances and the extensive series of dates that she remained on stage. However, most venues are within hotel-casino resorts, and so, they’re not the largest for capacity. This has industry insiders estimate that it doesn’t make sense financially for venues – without considering potential spending in hotels, casinos, and restaurants.
When you bundle together the cost of production and the fees that the biggest acts in the world charge for extended slates, it’s clear that tickets and merchandise sales can’t cover the bill for venues. Still, that’s for pop stars and performance-centric artists. DJs and electric musicians don’t need much more than a desk, lights, and perhaps a couple of effects machines. So, top names in EDM have become coveted in Sin City, even if they themselves charge top dollar.
So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, alongside the popularity of nightclubs on The Strip, DJ residencies have shot up. In 2022, some 200 electronic acts have been penned in for Vegas residencies in various capacities. The list includes: Afrojack, Alan Walker, Axwell, Baauer, Becky G, Calvin Harris, Camelphat, Cash Cash, Cheat Codes, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Diplo, DJ Snake, Eric Prydz, Flosstradamus, Galantis, Gorgon City, Iggy Azalea, Kygo, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Marshamello, Martin Garrix, Meduza, and that’s just halfway down the alphabetical order.
Electric music stars are now hot property in Las Vegas, bringing huge fandoms and top-class nightlife entertainment to The Strip at a lower cost to other major artists.
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